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Tempe, AZ, United States, 2006/10/20 - Little did Mary Brown know when she founded the highly popular Festival of the West 17 years ago that her love for cowboys, horses and all things Western would have international significance - FestivalOfTheWest.com.

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Brown recently returned from Southern Germany where she was honored with the “Horse Spirit Award” at the first International Horse Movie Festival at Underhausen near Munich.

“I was honored and humbled by the award,” said Brown, a resident of Phoenix. “The German people were absolutely fabulous. They made us feel very much at home and the German reining horse champion carried the American flag during the opening ceremonies each day in honor of their American guests.”

Brown, a horse-lover all her life, was chosen for the award for her tireless promotion of horses and cowboy films. She received a classic bronze horse statue from International Horse Movie Festival founder Georg Miller.
Two honorees are chosen each year, one from Germany and one from the USA.
“Mary has set an example for our Horse Movie Festival because without her Festival of the West our event would never have been held,” said Miller. “What better opportunity is there to present the Horse Spirit Award during the very first Horse Movie Festival and honor the lady who gave the people all over the world so much with her festival.”

Brown was honored along with German actor Peter Tost at the Bavarian festivities, held in early October.
“They showed many Western movies and one of the TV shows that continues to be very popular in Germany is the series “Fury” from the late 1950s that starred Bobby Diamond and Peter Graves,” said Brown. “They also showed a number of German horse movies. Also, an Octoberfest was a big part of the festivities.”

Brown noted that horses are very popular in Germany.
“All the children in the region I visited ride horses and the breed that is the most popular in the country is the Icelandic horse which is a smaller horse that is very gentle,” said Brown.
The 2007 Festival of the West is set for March 15-18 at Rawhide Western Town in Phoenix where music, artwork, film screenings, chuck wagon cooking, poetry, cowboy collectibles and other events will celebrate America’s frontier heritage.
The Festival of the West annually attracts 50,000 to 60,000 people who delight in reliving the days of “yesteryear” throughout the four-day salute to all things Western.
“The Festival of the West is a true celebration of the culture and heritage of the American West,” said Brown. “I like bringing together people who live the Code of the West, those whose word is their bond. That’s a wonderful way to live.”

Admission to the Festival of the West is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors and $4 for children, with those under age 5 admitted free. Other special discounts will be available. Parking is free.

Rawhide is located south of Phoenix, AZ at Wild Horse Pass, West of Interstate 10 at Exit 162.

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